Butler apologizing for sermon remark

Candidate says some may have been offended.

Candidate says some may have been offended.

August 07, 2006

LANSING (AP) -- Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Keith Butler, a Troy minister, said he will apologize to his congregation for comments he made regarding black women's hair during a recent sermon. Butler, who is black, said he realizes that some people may have been offended by the comments in which he described hair as "wool." "I am apologizing and taking responsibility for it," Butler, founding pastor of 21,000-member Word of Faith International Christian Center Church in Southfield, said last week. "I recognize some people could be offended by it." Butler made the comments during a sermon last week. A tape of a portion of his comments was played on Detroit radio station WMXD-FM. During a talk about family and marriage, Butler was reading from a portion of the Song of Solomon which refers to a beautiful woman and hair "as a flock of goats." Butler went on to tell his congregation about a time he was campaigning in hair salons on a hot day. "They had all that wool, and they were straightening that wool out," Butler said. Butler said a few moments afterward he was just teasing. Butler said he decided that he would apologize for the comments. He said his church received a call earlier this week from an offended person, and has since received calls from people who were not offended. The radio station took several complaints from listeners, as well as some from those who were not upset by Butler's remarks. Butler faces Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard in Tuesday's primary election. The winner faces incumbent U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, in November's general election.